text: Dynamics in the Southern Ocean are dominated by two cells with opposing rotation, each is forced by surface buoyancy fluxes. Via isopycnals, tracers are transferred from the deep to the surface. Isopycnal slopes are key for determining the depth of the global Pycnocline, and where water mass outcrops are. Therefore, isopycnals  play an important role in the interaction with the atmosphere. In the Southeren Ocean it is thought that isopycnals are steepened by wind forcing and baroclinic eddies are acting to flatten the isopycnals.
  The westerly winds (), which make the ACC flow eastward, induce a clockwise rotating Eulerian meridional circulation () via Ekman dynamics, which is also known as the Deacon cell.  This circulation acts to overturn isopycnals enhance the buoyance forcing and therefore increase the mean flow.
  Although the ACC is very close to a geostrophic balance, when frontal jets reach a velocity that is high enough geostrophic turbulence (i.e. chaotic motion of fluids that are near to a state of hydrostatic balance and geostrophic balance) arises. Due to this geostrophic turbulence, potential energy stored in the fronts of jet streams is converted into eddy kinetic energy (EKE), which finally leads to the formation of mesoscale eddies. The surface EKE has increased in the recent decades, as proven by satellite altimetry. The relation between the increased wind stress and EKE is assumed to be near-linear, which explains the limited sensitivity of the ACC transport.
  In areas where stratification is very weak the formation of eddies is often associated with barotropic instabilities. Where stratification is more substantial, baroclinic instabilities (misalignment of isobars and isopycnals) are the mean cause of the formation of eddies. Eddies have the tendency to flatten isopycnals (surfaces of equal buoyancy), which slow down the mean flow ) is formed, which partially counteracts the Eulerian meridional circulation.
  The balance between the two overturning circulations determines the residual overturning, . This residual flow () is assumed to be directed along mean buoyance surfaces in the interior but to have a diapycnal component in the mixed later.